Card game

ABSTRACT

A method of playing a card game includes dealing each of a plurality of players one card face up and two cards face down, dealing four community cards face up, wherein each community card is usable by any player to form a five-card poker hand, exposing the two face down cards of each player, and determining which player has the winning five-card poker hand, wherein a player&#39;s hand comprises five cards selected from the four community cards and the three cards dealt to the player.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to card games, and more specifically to poker card games.

At least one known poker card game, known as “Texas Hold Em”, each player is dealt two cards face down and five community cards are dealt face up. Each player uses any of their two face down cards and/or the five community cards to form a five-card poker hand. The player having the highest poker hand is the winner of that hand. Hands are ranked in standard poker fashion, such as royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and high card, in descending order. In Texas Hold Em, the cards are dealt sequentially so that each player initially receives two cards face down, and thereafter the five community cards are dealt face up. The first three community cards dealt are sometimes referred to as the “flop”, while the fourth and fifth community cards dealt are sometimes referred to as the “turn” and “river”, respectively. Rounds of betting occur at specific times during the course of the deal, such as after the two face down cards have been dealt, after the third community card has been dealt, after the fourth community card has been dealt, and finally after the fifth community card has been dealt. As such, in known Texas Hold Em games there may be four rounds of betting.

One in a Texas Hold Em game, the winning hand may actually be a low value poker hand, for example a single pair or even high card. Accordingly, if a player has a relatively high hand at an early stage of the hand, for example, before the flop, or after the flop, but before the turn, the player can place a large enough bet to force players having relatively lower hands out of the hand before any community cards are dealt or before any additional more community cards are dealt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, a method for playing a card game is provided. The method includes dealing each of a plurality of players one card face up and two cards face down, dealing four community cards face up, wherein each community card is usable by any player to form a five-card poker hand, exposing the two face down cards of each player, and determining which player has the winning five-card poker hand, wherein a player's hand comprises five cards selected from the four community cards and the three cards dealt to the player.

In another aspect, a method for playing a card game is provided. The method includes first, dealing each of a plurality of players one card face down and one card face up, second, dealing four community cards face up, wherein each community card is usable by any player to form a five-card poker hand, third, dealing each player a card face down, fourth, exposing the two face down cards of each player, and fifth, determining which player has the winning five-card poker hand, wherein a player's hand comprises at least one card selected from the three cards dealt to the player and any number of cards selected from the four community cards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a card game.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method for playing the card game shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a card game 10 played with a plurality of players 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 22 for playing card game 10. Although five players 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 are illustrated, card game 10 may include any number of players greater than one. Although method 22 may be played using any suitable cards, in some embodiments method 22 is played using a single deck of cards containing fifty-two cards. For example, in some embodiments method 22 is played with a conventional poker, or bridge, deck of cards. Generally, four community cards 24, 26, 28, and 30 are dealt face up, and each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 is dealt two cards 32 and 34 face down and only one card 36 face up. Each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 can form a five-card poker hand by selecting at least one card from their personal cards 32, 34, and 36 and any number of the four community cards 24, 26, 28, and 30 depending on the number of personal cards 32, 34, and/or 36 selected. The player(s) 12, 14, 16, 18, and/or 20 having the highest poker hand is/are the game winner.

Although cards 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, and 36 may be dealt in any order, in the exemplary embodiment each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 is dealt 38 a single card 32 face down and a single card 36 face up. In the exemplary embodiment, each face down card 32 is dealt before each face up card 36 is dealt 38. In alternative embodiments, each face up card 36 is dealt 38 before each face down card 32 is dealt 38. Once cards 32 and 36 have been dealt, community cards 24, 26, 28, and 30 are then dealt 40 face up. In some embodiments, dealing 40 of community cards 24, 26, and 28 is referred to as “the wave” and dealing 40 of community card 30 is referred to as “the anchor”. Any of community cards 24, 26, 28, and/or 30 may be used by any player 12, 14, 16, 18, and/or 20 to form their five-card poker hand. In the exemplary embodiment, after community cards 24, 26, 28, and 30 have been dealt 40, another card 34 is dealt 42 face down to each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20, assuming none of players 12, 14, 16, 18, and/or 20 has folded. Alternatively, each face down card 34 could be dealt 42 at any time during the hand. For example, cards 34 may be dealt 42 after cards 32 and 36 are dealt 38 and before any community cards 24, 26, 28, and/or 30 are dealt 40, or between dealing 40 of any two community cards 24, 26, 28, and/or 30. In some embodiments, the dealing 42 of cards 34 is referred to as “the catch”.

After all cards 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, and 36 have been dealt, each player's face down cards 32 and 34 are exposed 44 and the player(s) 12, 14, 16, 18, and/or 20 having the winning five-card poker hand is determined 46. Steps 38, 40, 42, 44, and 46 of method 22 compose a “single hand” of card game 10, and are generally repeated during card game 10. After all cards 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, and 36 have been dealt, each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 remaining in the hand, i.e., those players 12, 14, 16, 18, and/or 20 that have not “folded” or opted out of continuing in the hand, has three personal cards 32, 34, and 36 and the four community cards 24, 26, 28, and 30. Each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 attempts to form a five-card poker hand by selecting at least one card from their personal cards 32, 34, and 36 and any number of the four community cards 24, 26, 28, and 30 depending on the number of personal cards 32, 34, and/or 36 selected. The player(s) 12, 14, 16, 18, and/or 20 having the highest poker hand is/are the hand winner. In some embodiments, each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 may use only one of their cards 32, 34, and/or 36 to form their five-card poker hand. In other embodiments, each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 must use at least two of their cards 32, 34, and/or 36 to form their five-card poker hand, while is still other embodiments, each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 must all of their cards 32, 34, and 36 to form their five-card poker hand.

Betting may be conducted at any step of method 22. For example, betting may be conducted before, and/or after, any of method steps 38, 40, 42, 44, and/or 46, and may include any number of subsequent betting rounds thereof. In some embodiments, each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 is required to post an ante of a predetermined amount of money before card 32 is dealt 38 to play each hand of card game 10. In other embodiments, no players 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 are required to post the predetermined ante to play each hand of card game 10. In still other embodiments, only some of players 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20, such as, but not limited to, one or more players in a predetermined position relative to a player designated as a dealer (which may change between different hands of card game 10), are required to post the predetermined ante to play each hand of card game 10. For example, in some embodiments each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 is dealt a card (not shown) prior to beginning method 22. The player 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20 with the highest card is designated as the first dealer and thereafter the dealer for each successive hand is the player 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20 in a predetermined position, such as, but not limited to, the direct left, of the dealer of the previous hand. In some embodiments players 12, 14, 16, 18, and/or 20 may still be required to post the predetermined ante for a particular hand even if they skip the hand, while in other embodiments players 12, 14, 16, 18, and/or 20 may not be required to post the predetermined ante for a particular hand if they skip the hand.

It should be noted that betting may be conducted during any step of method 22 and may include any number of rounds thereof. In the exemplary embodiment a first round 48 of betting is conducted between method steps 38 and 40, or more specifically after cards 32 and 36 have been dealt 38 and before any community cards 24 have been dealt 40. A second round 50 of betting is then conducted after community cards 24, 26, and 28 have been dealt 40, but before community card 30 has been dealt 40. Alternatively, the second betting round 50 may be conducted between dealing 40 of community cards 24 and 26, or between dealing 40 of community cards 26 and 28. A third round 52 of betting is then conducted after community card 30 has been dealt 40 and a fourth round 54 of betting is conducted after cards 24 have been dealt 42 but before each player's cards 32 and 34 are exposed 44.

During each betting round 48, 50, 52, and 54, each player 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 may check, bet, or raise a prior bet. Any player 12, 14, 16, 18, and/or 20 may also drop out of a hand of card game 10 at any time during method 10, such as before and/or after any of steps 38, 40, 42, 44, and/or 46 and/or before, during, and/or after any of betting rounds 48, 50, 52, and/or 54. Each betting round 48, 50, 52, and/or 54 may begin with an opening bet or check by any of players 12, 14, 16, 18, and/or 20. For example, in some embodiments the player 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20 remaining in the hand holding the highest face up card 26 acts first in each betting round 48, 50, 52, and 54. In some embodiments, if two or more of players 12, 14, 16, 18, and/or 20 remaining in the hand hold the highest face up card 26, a player 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20 in a predetermined position relative to a player designated as a dealer acts first in each betting round 48, 50, 52, and 54. In some embodiments, a first bet in one or more betting rounds 48, 50, 52, and/or 54 may be limited to twice a predetermined ante. Moreover, in some embodiments a number of raises in one or more betting rounds 48, 50, 52, and/or 54 is limited to any number, such as, but not limited to, three raises.

Each bet or raise within any of betting rounds 48, 50, 52, and/or 54 may be limited to any suitable amount, or may be unlimited. For example, in some embodiments card game 10 is a game sometimes referred to as a “limit game” wherein the first bet is limited to a predetermined amount, for example relative to a predetermined ante, such as, but not limited to, twice the ante, and each raise is limited to a predetermined amount relative to a prior bet, such as, but not limited to, twice the highest prior bet. In other embodiments, and for example, card game 10 is a game sometimes referred to as a “pot limit game” wherein the first bet is limited to a predetermined amount, for example relative to a predetermined ante, such as, but not limited to, twice the ante, and each raise is limited to a total amount of money already bet in the hand, sometimes referred to as the “pot”. In still other embodiments, card game 10 is a game sometimes referred to as a “no limit game” wherein an amount of each bet and/or raise is limited only to an amount of money possessed by the player 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20 placing the bet or raise.

By dealing each player three personal cards and dealing four community cards, method 22 and card game 10 may facilitate strengthening each player's hand, as compared to some known games that deal only two personal cards and deal five community cards, because each player has more personal cards to combine with the community cards. As such, the level of skill of the players is increased in comparison to other games describe above. Moreover, in some embodiments method 22 and card game 10 may facilitate each player participates in each hand through additional rounds of betting as compared to other games described herein. As such, the odds of a player staying improving a relatively lower hand as the hand progress are increased, as each player is dealt a third personal card after the four community cards.

Exemplary embodiments of methods are described and/or illustrated herein in detail. The methods are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather, steps of each method may be utilized independently and separately from other steps described herein. Each method step can also be used in combination with other method steps.

When introducing elements/components/steps/etc. of the methods described and/or illustrated herein, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, “said”, and “at least one” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the element(s)/component(s)/step(s)/etc. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional element(s)/component(s)/step(s)/etc. other than the listed element(s)/component(s)/step(s)etc.

While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims. 

1. A method of playing a card game, said method comprising: dealing each of a plurality of players one card face up and two cards face down; dealing four community cards face up, wherein each community card is usable by any player to form a five-card poker hand; exposing the two face down cards of each player; and determining which player has the winning five-card poker hand, wherein a player's hand comprises five cards selected from the four community cards and the three cards dealt to the player.
 2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein dealing each of a plurality of players one card face up and two cards face down and dealing four community cards face up further comprise dealing from a deck of fifty-two playing cards.
 3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising requiring each player post an ante of a predetermined amount of money.
 4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein dealing each of a plurality of players one card face up and two cards face down further comprises dealing the face up card and the two face down cards in any order.
 5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein dealing each of a plurality of players one card face up and two cards face down further comprises: dealing each player one card face down and another card face up before dealing the four community cards; and dealing each player one card face down after dealing the four community cards.
 6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein dealing each player one card face down and another card face up before dealing the four community cards further comprises first dealing each of the plurality of players the face up card and thereafter dealing each of the plurality of players the face down card.
 7. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein dealing each player one card face down and another card face up before dealing the four community cards further comprises first dealing each of the plurality of players the face down card and thereafter dealing each of the plurality of players the face up card.
 8. A method in accordance with claim 5 further comprising conducting a round of betting after dealing each player one card face down and another card face up and before dealing the four community cards.
 9. A method in accordance with claim 5 further comprising conducting a round of betting after dealing the four community cards and before dealing each player one card face down.
 10. A method in accordance with claim 5 further comprising conducting a round of betting after dealing each player one card face down and before exposing the two face down cards of each player.
 11. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising conducting a round of betting between dealing each of a plurality of players one card face up and two cards face down and dealing four community cards face up.
 12. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising conducting a round of betting between dealing four community cards face up and exposing the two face down cards of each player.
 13. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein dealing four community cards face up further comprises conducting a round of betting between dealing any two of the four community cards.
 14. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein dealing four community cards face up further comprises: dealing three community cards face up; thereafter conducting a round of betting after dealing the three community cards face up; and dealing a fourth community card face up after conducting the round of betting.
 15. A method of playing a card game, said method comprising: first, dealing each of a plurality of players one card face down and one card face up; second, dealing four community cards face up, wherein each community card is usable by any player to form a five-card poker hand; third, dealing each player a card face down; fourth, exposing the two face down cards of each player; and fifth, determining which player has the winning five-card poker hand, wherein a player's hand comprises at least one card selected from the three cards dealt to the player and any number of cards selected from the four community cards.
 16. A method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising conducting a round of betting between said first and second steps.
 17. A method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising conducting a round of betting between said second and third steps.
 18. A method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising conducting a round of betting between said third and fourth steps.
 19. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein dealing four community cards face up further comprises conducting a round of betting between dealing any two of the four community cards.
 20. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein dealing four community cards face up further comprises: dealing three community cards face up; thereafter conducting a round of betting after dealing the three community cards face up; and dealing a fourth community card face up after conducting the round of betting. 